EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH

Prof. Vincent W.V. Jaddoe

Scientific Coordinator of EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH, based at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, the Netherlands

Research field

Foetal Origins of Adult Disease

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Who?

Prof. Jaddoe: “The first phase of human life, the preconception and embryonic period, is of great importance and extremely intriguing. This period is characterized by high growth and development rates of all organs. The potential of optimizing this period for a better health throughout a person’s life is very promising.”

Why?

“Cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are major diseases of our time. Researchers have consistently reported that these disorders are associated with early life experiences. We need to identify the biological mechanisms underlying these associations in order to develop preventive strategies”, explains Professor Jaddoe.

What?

Professor Jaddoe: “This project explores how parental lifestyle affects embryonic development and placenta formation. We focus on preconception and early pregnancy exposures such as maternal diet and smoking. We will subsequently relate this to the child’s cardiovascular and metabolic health in late childhood and adulthood.”

How?

We study prospective cohorts of people in different age groups 1) preconception to early childhood, 2) 1st trimester to early childhood, 3) age 45 onwards. Our innovative measurements include imaging of developmental adaptations early in pregnancy, repeated cardiovascular and metabolic assessments and DNA methylation studies.

Exploring the earliest origins of cardiovascular disease

Unfavourable exposures before or very early in pregnancy seem to influence embryonic development

Image: 9-Week Human Embryo from Ectopic Pregnancy, Credit: Ed Uthman

Developmental adaptations may predispose the embryo to cardiovascular and metabolic disease in later life

Image: blood pressure screening, Credit: CDC/ Nasheka Powell

EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH explores how parental lifestyle affects embryonic development and placenta formation

Image: maternal smoking, Credit: Jan Truter

The project will deliver a full life course study from the preconception period until adulthood

Image: study concept, Credit: EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH

We will use well-designed cohort studies with extensive embryonic and early placenta formation assessments

Image: An embryo at 9+1 weeks of gestation on a 3D ultrasound image (left), and in the I-Space (right), Credit: Evelyne M. van Uitert

We will perform cardiovascular imaging in foetal life, early childhood and late childhood

Image: developing embryonic heart in 13 day old mouse, Credit: NIMR, MRC. Wellcome Images

We will also perform detailed molecular measurements including metabolomics and DNA methylation studies

Image: laboratory tubes, Credit: Charlotte Raymond Photography for International AIDS Vaccine Initiative

Our ultimate aim is to develop effective prevention strategies for cardiovascular and metabolic disease

Image credit: Bram Schaareman

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EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH project description Rotterdam study (one of three cohorts that is used in EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH) Generation R study (one of three cohorts that is used in EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH) What is fetal programming? Cardiovascular research on www.HorizonHealth.eu Diabetes research on www.HorizonHealth.eu In Focus article 'A good start is half the battle'

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Background image: Ed Uthman

Portrait of the project coordinator: EMBRYOandLATERHEALTH

Timeline (in chronological order): 1944: FaceMePLS, 1990: Omer Ziv, 2000s (premature baby): Leicester Royal Infirmary, Wellcome Images, 2000s (smoking lady): Jan Truter, 2015: NIMR, MRC. Wellcome Images